Background
Smith, Frank was born on December 6, 1854.
Smith, Frank was born on December 6, 1854.
Born in Chelsea, Smith was educated privately and ran an upholstery company in Sloane Street.
On the voyage to America he read Henry George"s book, Progress and Poverty which introduced him to Georgist ideas. In 1890, he co-wrote In Darkest England and the Way Out with William Booth. However, he left the movement later in the year, to involve himself in the labour movement, founding the Labour Army and Workers" Cry, a newspaper which he edited from two years.
In 1892, he became editor of the Weekly Dispatch, holding the post for three years.
Smith stood unsuccessfully in Hammersmith at the 1892 United Kingdom general election, but he was elected to the London County Council, playing a key role on the body until 1913. A close friend of its leader, Keir Hardie, he drew on some experience in radical journalism to assist with the relaunch of the Labour Leader.
After the election, he undertook a speaking tour of the United States with Hardie. The ILP was a founding element of the Labour Party, and Smith stood under this label in many elections: the Taunton by-election, 1909, Croydon by-election, 1909, in Chatham in 1910, Balham and Tooting in 1918, Birmingham West in 1922 and 1923, and Nuneaton in 1924.
Despite already being 74 years old, he acted as Parliamentary Private Secretary to George Lansbury from October 1930, but lost his seat at the 1931 general election.
Salvation Army; 35th United Kingdom Parliament]
He became a founding member of the Independent Labour Party (ILP), and was its first parliamentary candidate, at the Sheffield Attercliffe by-election, 1894.